Gotcha Date:August 31st 2007Birthday:August 1st 2006Coloration:Gray TabbyLikes:wrappers; available laps; bags; anything movingPet-Peeves:being brushed anywhere but on his headFavorite Toy:mouse & bell on a stickFavorite Nap Spot:opposite corner of the couch; top of mommy's head; available lapsFavorite Food:kibble only, pleaseSkills:he's good at counter surfing; does that count?Dwells:
indoors Arrival Story:Ivan belongs to my mom. She adopted him from the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. They are best buddies, and he also considers me his other special person.Bio:Ivan was surrendered to the shelter because his previous family was moving. They didn't like that he was a climber. The shelter vet thought him to be about a year old. He came home looking scrawny. He was shy when he first arrived, but he is anything but shy! He's still trying to figure out how to deal with busy grandchildren, and he LOATHES granddog Maggie. He is quite attached to his mommy and is a purfect match to the lonely hole in her heart.Lives Remaining:9 of 9Forums Motto:619241The Last Forum I Posted In:CANADIAN KITTIES LABOUR DAY SLEEPOVER PAWTY
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The Mobile Home Surveyor Reports

I'm sorry that I've not been very chatty. I've had other things on my paws to worry about.

Those babies sure are fast, and they think I am totally cool. When they come over, they look at me and go "meow". They are very funny looking cats!

Lucy even said my name this week! "Ivin!" she said. Her mommy, Secretary, and my mommy were so proud of her.

This weekend I got to go to my first "super bowl" party. I have no idea what a super bowl is, or what it looks like, but I was upset that I couldn't curl up inside it. Secretary and Julia brought food, and there was cooking and bags rustling in the kitchen and then everyone sat at the table.

I wanted to nap in my kick 'n play. Mommy keeps it on the table for me to sleep on. Maybe the super bowl was on the table, too? So I jumped up on the table, between Mommy and Julia.

Can you believe this? Not only did not I not find the super bowl, but my kick 'n play wasn't there, either. Instead I found nasty smelling, gooey stuff that the babies were covered and dripping in, and Mommy immediately pulled me down. "Ivan, we have company! Stay off the table!"

Aw, come on, Mommy; they're family! They won't mind!

The Lucy and Megan grandbabies don't stay where they are supposed to stay. I headed down the hall to get away from the noise and walked by the bathroom and the bathroom door was closed! What if I need the litter box? I sat by the door and cried.

Secretary heard me and took pity. "When you shut the door, Ivan can't use the bathroom!" I heard her yell down the hall.

"What makes you think Ivan needs the litter box? He hates shut doors!" I heard Mommy yell back. Excuse me - I'm right here! Don't talk about me like that. Enough of that, however. I marched in and walked around my litter box. Secretary was so proud that she knew what I wanted.

"I don't want Megan in the litter box!" Megan's mommy yells back. Come to think of it, I don't want Megan in my box, either. She might be small, but I don't think she'd fit. Besides, she'd probably kick more litter of the box than I do. I'd hate to have competition.

I went back to the living room. Megan saw me. "Meow!" she says and comes after me.

I don't feel like being chased. I turn around and head for Mommy's bedroom. Megan turns around and follows me. "Aaaaaa aaaa aaa aaa meow" she says. Secretary follows her down the hall and shows her how to be "gentle". I decide to cooperate and sit still while Megan gives me a pat on the head.

"Meow!" Megan says.

"Did you Ivan?" Secretary asked.

"Ssssssssss" say Megan. I think Megan has a slow leak!

Oooo - an energy burst! I race out of the room, down the hall, through the living room and skid across the kitchen floor, before I stop under Mommy's chair at the table. I hear the girls laughing and squealing and.. next thing you know, there is Lucy. She's standing and pointing at me and saying "Ivan" and "cat" and "meow". Everyone is so proud of her. I'm just glad that Lucy knows who I am!

Having the grandbabies over isn't a bad thing, really. They love to shake my feather boa and mouse on a stick around. Instant attention! They are so good at it, too, and I take advantage of them. They know I'll jump for the blue stick, so they fight over it. Then they chase me with it, so I chase them. They squeal. I get to play. It's a wonderful combination!

Oh boy its been grand. Mommy and Secretary dragged a tree in the house last weekend and they put lights on it and glittery stuff and dangling things. They call it "Christmas Tree" and that I am not supposed to disturb the stuff that's on the tree.

It surly is fun to be under, though!

That's not my personal space. I mean, pursonal space.

Yesterday Mommy had the kids and grandbabies over for lunch. She also had other company come over that is afraid of cats, so I had to spend most of the time in Mommy's room with the door closed. Sooooooooo distressing!

Finally Mommy took pity on me and let me out, even with the cat-scared people there. I raced right to my water and food bowls, intent on enjoying lunch.

Just one problem: the babies saw me go by.

Next thing I know, Lucy is on one side of my bowl, and Megan is on the other side of my bowl, and they're both staring at me and pointing and talking and asking "what's that?", wondering what I was doing. Excuse me? It's my food and I'm not sharing it! Mommy was right behind them, explaining that I was hungry and not to touch me or bother me or move my food. The girls thought this was sooooooooooo special. I couldn't handle the intrusion! I never did get to finish my lunch yesterday.

Then today, Secretary comes over right after breakfast to do her laundry. She never comes that early; Mommy and I were still doing dishes and Mommy was still in her PJ's. Mommy knew she was coming though; Mommy said that this new snowstorm is really, really big and Secretary wanted to do her laundry before it snowed too much.

Mommy and I battle over the brush. She insists on brushing underneath my tail and I simply won't have it happen. So what did Mommy do? She tattled on me to Secretary! Said I had a big knot under my tail and it needed to come off.

Secretary came over like she was going to hug me and brush me, but instead she put her arm under my belly with my head next to her butt and then she pushed my tail back with my other hand and I could hear "snip snip snip" and I could feel it too! I was very unhappy! I can't believe Mommy let her do that to me! When she was done, Mommy was holding this big, huge chunk of Ivan furr; it filled Mommy's entire hand. Now I've got a bald spot back there and, quite frankly, it's drafty!

Mommy made up for it, though, because she gave me my Christmas present early. She got me a feather duster that she twirls in her hand and I can attack. Wowsers it is so much, super fun! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!

I'd be more Thankful, though, if Secretary would spare enough of her time to help me write in my diary! MOL

She did, however, take pictures of me helping her and Mommy put stuff on the windows so the wind wouldn't come inside. That was a couple weeks ago, and man, I was such a big help. I am certain they couldn't have done it without me!

So I am thankful for my mommy. I just love her to pieces; I'm so glad I found her! She loves me. She picks me up when she gets home and we close the curtains. She lets me play with food bags and chase the light that falls out of the fridge and lets me help her knit and cleans my litter box and feeds me - what more could a cat ask for?

I'm thankful that the babies are getting more gentle when they come over. Lucy and Megan just love to run over and touch me, and that used to be really scary! They don't pound on my head anymore; they are growing up so fast!

I'm thankful for Secretary; she loves me too. She lets me help her with the laundry; the empty laundry baskets are just too much to resist. She also spends time playing with me and brushing me and she doesn't think I'm trouble or a nuisance. She comes over special to see me. She also takes good care of my Catster page. I wasn't so keen about posing for a Christmas photo; after all, I didn't have to do that lat year. But Secretary says I was a good sport about it and I took the best picture of all the cats (so THERE!) and I can't wait to show it to you!

I'm also thankful for Meow Mix. Oh you've never tasted such fine stuff as moist, succulent Meow Mix. I don't get enough of it!